By Dorothy L. Tengler According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 23,000 Americans die each year from infections resistant to antibiotics, with at least 2 million people becoming infected with drug-resistant bacteria. But heads up: A new emerged superbug has been discovered. A fatal outbreak of ST11 carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae occurred in a Chinese hospital, according to researchers.READ MORE

Our member Diana Taylor PhD, RNP, FAAN Professor Emerita, UCSF School of Nursing had a good conversation with Senator Weiner (D- San Francisco) about threats to health care access and emphasized the ANA principles of health care transformation that guide our state actions to protect patient care.

And an opportunity to talk with our colleagues across medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and health services. We are all concerned about similar issues of affordability, access, and quality.

This event was hosted by CAPP and we thank Lisa Maas for her invitation.

This profile highlights the vital role nurse managers play in our healthcare system while providing career outlooks like top skills, salary, growth opportunities and responsibilities that make nursing management an integral part of patient care. The goal is to provide an in-depth perspective on nurse management and spark and interest in nursing careers. Get access to the full visual guide here.
This resource is intended to provide valuable information for you to learn more about this side of nursing.

Based on our successful legislative cooperation with MADD on installing interlocking ignition mechanism preventing further DUI accidents, the Bay Area region (as far south as Monterey and as far as Humboldt County) is looking for retired nurses to volunteer in helping victims connect with resources & support and to advocate on their behalf. MADD motto is "to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking." If you are interested or know a retired nurse willing to help, please contact Brian.Gleason@madd.org.

One needle, one syringe, only one time?
Survey of physicians and nurses shows some may not be following basic standards of care. One Needle, One Syringe, Only One Time — a new CDC paper — published in the American Journal of Infection Control, reports 12% of physicians and 3% of nurses indicate reuse of syringes for more than one patient occurs in their workplace. This survey suggests a dangerous minority of providers may be violating basic standards of care and the paper underlines the need for additional training and education.

Remind healthcare providers they have an obligation to intervene if they observe unsafe practices in the workplace.

Take action!

Read the new CDC paper and share it with your colleagues.

Learn more about CDC’s One & Only Campaign and its efforts to educate providers about safe injection practices.

Tweet the message below.

Safe injection practices are critical to the overall safety of healthcare delivery. CDC reminds healthcare personnel to never reuse a needle or syringe for more than one patient or to enter a medication container. A good rule to remember is One Needle, One Syringe, Only One Time. Improper use of syringes, needles and medication containers can transmit infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.

October is a rich month filled with guidance and resources on Workplace Violence, Moral Resilience, Immunizations, and Infection Control. Given the recent events in the news raising the awareness of Workplace Violence, it is important for nurses to be prepared as well as develop ways to strengthen Moral Resilience. This month's resources include a host of webinars on Moral Resilience, Reversing Bullying in the Workplace, Getting Ahead of Sepsis, and Environmental Infection Control.

October also features a host of fun activities. Plan to attend ANA's Navigate Nursing Webinar on Moral Resilience, free for ANA members on Oct. 18, 2017. Join us for a Twitter Chat on #ProviderWellness Oct. 18, 6 p.m. ET on strengthening resilience in health care providers. Consider downloading Stop Breathe and Think, a free mobile app to help you find resilience within your everyday practice.

International Infection Control week is Oct. 15-21, 2017. It is important that nurses understand the necessity for infection control as well as the benefits of immunizations. The flu season is here, so be sure to get your flu shot! Please check out October for more resources on impactful ways to improve your wellness and everyday practice!

Join the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™ Grand Challenge and share your success stories of unique ways to balance your work and life.

Do you engage with patients and health care consumers using technology? Do you have experience with the policy issues surrounding connected health, such as coverage and reimbursement, licensure, safety, privacy, and security?

An update with you from your colleagues in the Virgin Islands. As you are likely aware, Hurricane Maria came through the Virgin Islands just shortly after Hurricane Irma, and contributed to the already challenging relief efforts.

The following is a message from Joyce Heylinger, Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Nurses Association:

“Thank you again for checking in. As you are aware, the island of St. Croix took the brunt of Maria so that the entire USVI territory is trying to comeback from 2 cat5 hurricanes. Thank God for federal partners and other responders… I am trying to contact as many nurses as I can and learning of structural damages but spared lives... The needs are going to be many but undefined at this time.”

An overwhelming number of nurses acted in response to our message about the Texas Nurses Foundation’s appeal for contributions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Thank you for your generous support. With more disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria affecting our communities this fall, the American Nurses Foundation has now created a broader ‘Disaster Relief’ fund.

This fund will support nurses in their disaster response and recovery efforts in southeastern Texas, the Virgin Islands, Florida and other states affected by the recent disasters.

The American Nurses Foundation and the entire ANA Enterprise stand in solidarity with those affected. We encourage you to join with the power of nurses everywhere to help.
We join you in sending positive thoughts and wishes for strength to nurses and the whole community. Thank you for your help.

ANA now offers Affirmation of Focused Practice Competencies as an addition to its newly revised 2017 Recognition of a Nursing Specialty, Approval of a Specialty Nursing Scope of Practice Statement, and Acknowledgment of Specialty Standards of Practice program. You can download the PDF of all there HERE.

HealthDay NewsHeredity contributes to about 83 percent of the risk of autism in children with the disorder, a new study suggests. The estimate, from a re-analysis of a previous study, adds a new wrinkle to the ongoing debate over how much autism is inherited from parents. Essentially, the findings suggest that rare genetic traits combine in parents and explain about eight in 10 cases of the neurodevelopmental disorder in children.READ MORE

By Keith Carlson Imagine a hospital devoid of nursing care. Picture a nursing home without nurses. Visualize a healthcare system functioning without its very backbone and lifeblood. That is the world we build when we turn our backs on nurses. When corporate entities set nurse-patient ratios that support profit above all else, both nurses and patients suffer. And when nurses are driven to burnout by environments that undermine their ability to perform, a recipe for disaster is brewing.READ MORE

Endocrine TodayAdults with a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 55 nmol/L or lower are at increased risk for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death and heart failure, according to a 20-year retrospective analysis of Australian patient data.READ MORE

HealthDay News via Monthly Prescribing ReferenceOral isotretinoin shows a better and earlier response than topical isotretinoin for the treatment of plane warts, according to a small study published online in the International Journal of Dermatology. Researchers randomized patients with plane warts to treatment with either oral isotretinoin capsules or topical isotretinoin. Treatment continued for three months or until there was complete clearance of lesions. READ MORE

HealioAdolescents in grades 8, 10 and 12 who took part in competitive sports were more likely to receive a concussion diagnosis during their lifetime, with 19.5 percent reporting at least one previous concussion in their lifetime, according to recent findings published in JAMA. READ MORE

Daily NurseIn the latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Republican lawmakers have introduced the Graham-Cassidy Healthcare Bill which many anticipate will deny healthcare to millions of low and middle-income Americans. The bill has received widespread criticism from the healthcare community including nursing organizations, insurance groups, state hospital associations, and more.READ MORE

HealthDay NewsNew cases of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States reached an all-time high in 2016, federal health officials reported Sept. 26. There were 1.6 million cases of chlamydia, 470,000 cases of gonorrhea and 28,000 of syphilis reported that year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in its annual report on STDs. And the diseases are on the rise in a number of groups, including women, infants, and gay and bisexual men.READ MORE

Ocular Surgery NewsA shingles vaccine is now recommended for individuals aged 50 years and older, 10 years younger than a previous recommendation, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Dermatological Association. Shingles (herpes zoster) can lead to a painful and disfiguring complication called herpes zoster ophthalmicus, which can cause blindness, the AAO said. READ MORE

Medical News TodayThe risk of stroke could be increased by more than a quarter for people who experience migraine with aura. So concludes a twin study recently published in the journal Brain.
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, around 39 million children and adults in the United States are affected by migraine, a disorder characterized by the recurrence of moderate or severe throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head.
READ MORE